


Regardless

by tatooedlaura



Series: Life [27]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 04:03:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8953030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatooedlaura/pseuds/tatooedlaura
Summary: “if we hear bad news tomorrow, I don’t want to go back home."





	

Once out of the hospital, Mulder took her hand yet again, as he had in the waiting room, the exam room, the procedure room and the changing room outside the lead lined room for the MRI. He watched her talk smoothly to her friend, Jake, describing the sparse symptoms and her fear of relapse. He held her steady gaze as they drew enough blood to make even a vampire turn away. He paced a non-descript, quiet hallway while she had her scan and stared out the sixth story window when the pacing began drawing looks from several passing nurses.

Jake didn’t offer any diagnoses, just listened, then directed her to where she needed to go, telling her good luck as he made his way to surgery a short time after their arrival. The tech didn’t let Scully see the scan, telling her in no uncertain terms that she would have to wait. The nurses chatted with both of them but focused on superficial subjects, asking about their trip and their work.

Mulder wanted to scream loudly to just tell them how she was and how to fix her if she wasn’t. He seemed more out of sorts than Scully did, her calm demeanor making him even more anxious, the fear threatening him several times, especially as they kept filling up vial after vial. She found him standing at the window at the end of the hallway when she was all done, dressed and more than ready to go home.

She made enough noise walking that she knew he heard her and when she was only a few feet back, he lifted his arm up in invitation, allowing her to scoot underneath and press herself against his side. Arm falling around her neck, he rotated, his other arm completing the circle, her head disappearing in the crooks of his elbows as he kissed her several times on the top of the head before hugging her close. They stood for a few moments or hours, Mulder losing track of time the instant he touched her, before Scully, her voice tired, quietly told him, “I’m ready to go home, Mulder.”

Very serious in his response, “the hotel or would you like to head back to DC? We can fly home tonight if you want, ship the car back or come get it later, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Chuckling into his chest, “I meant the hotel but I appreciate the offer to go back to DC.”

“Anything for you, Scully.”

She could hear the total, naked honesty in his statement and it nearly broke her but she took several deep breathes and kept it together, “although I think we should stop for a snack on the way. I’m starving.”

With an extra tight squeeze, he let her go, taking her hand yet again, firm and sure, with their fingers falling into a now familiar mingling pattern, “fast food or grocery store?”

“I have never felt the need for a gigantic cheeseburger more than I do right now. Maybe cheaper sit-down?”

“Lead the way.”

Food consumed, they made it back to the hotel room, Scully looking from the inviting bed for a nap to the sunshine-filled beach out the balcony door, “Mulder? If you had to choose, would you take a nap or go in the ocean?”

Knowing exactly what she wanted him to say, he smiled, “ocean.”

Her smile widened considerably, “get changed, Mister, I’m going to teach you how to surf.”

Slathering on sunscreen, tugging old undershirts of Mulder’s over their heads to prevent board rash, renting surfboards and finally paddling out into the fairly calm water, she spent the next two hours teaching him how to paddle and how to stand. She desperately wished for a video camera to take pictures of his tumbles into the waves which were always accompanied by surprised faces and comical gestures and wildly flailing limbs ending in spluttering splashes and Mulder’s head popping back to the surface, grinning and pulling himself back on the board to start all over again.

It took her a few turns as well to get back in the groove of it but soon, she felt at home on the tilting board, feet cool in the water, sun beating down on her body. Eventually, Mulder could make it up and remain standing, even walk the board without toppling, Taking a glance at her watch, she paddled over to him, “hey, how are you doing? Want to keep going or call it a day?”

His muscles were on fire at this point so stopping sounded like a good option, “we’ll come out tomorrow again, right?”

“Of course.”

Returning the boards, they shuffled back to their towels, drying off before heading to the room. Mulder called the first shower and by the time Scully emerged from hers, she found him, hair still wet, dressed only in a pair of cargo shorts, sound asleep in the shade on the balcony. Drying her hair as much as she could, she hung her damp towel by his on the other chaise, then, much like he had the night before, climbed in beside him, enjoying the role reversal and boldly settling her head on his bare chest, his heart thudding steadily beneath her cheek.

Forgetting about their morning, she drifted off, safe and content, her Mulder warm beside her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

“You awake?”

“Yeah.”

Mulder, now on his side, tried to look over his shoulder at her behind him but his neck didn’t twist quite that far, “you invaded my chaise lounge.”

“I did.”

“Are you going to apologize for it?”

“No, no I am not.”

“Just checking.”

She laughed into his back, “I didn’t mean to sleep that long. It was going to be a five minute nap, at most.”

“How long’s it been?”

Scully lifted her hand from his chest and moved it in front of his face so he could read her watch, “I think I laid down about four.”

“Well, it’s now a little after six and I’m starving.”

“I know. You stomach growling woke me up.”

It felt odd talking to her when he couldn’t see her so he wiggled onto his back, taking in her sunburned nose, freckles more prominent than ever, “we need to get you some higher number sunscreen. Your nose is all red.”

Using her finger, she poked his face, “so is yours.”

Moving her body in preparation to get up, Mulder stopped her, “where’re you going?”

“Get the aloe you packed. If we keep ahead of the burn, it’ll feel a lot better.” Once she retrieved the bottle, she sat beside him, smearing small amounts over his face, rubbing lightly, paying special attention under his eyes, “if we do this right, we won’t peel and we’ll have enough of a tan so we won’t fry in Baja.”

He shifted his hand until it rested on her thigh, “regardless of what the hospital says tomorrow, you still want to go?”

She ran her index and middle finger slowly over his forehead, sliding down across his cheekbone before answering, “regardless of what the hospital says, I still want to go. I feel fine and vacations are much better when you feel fine.”

Mulder squeezed her leg, his fingers settling between her closed knees, “then you’d better get me back up on a surfboard tomorrow if I’m going to be ready for waves in Mexico.”

“We’ll do the best we can.”

With a smile, he first took the bottle from her hand, then sat up, “your turn.”

After she smoothed her hair into somewhat of a ponytail, he spread the aloe first on her face, then moved to her arms, running along the firm muscles and smooth skin until, “you are good to go.”

She’d been listening to his stomach rumble the last five minutes, “starving, aren’t you?”

“Feels like I haven’t eaten in weeks. Come on,” maneuvering around her to stand, “I’ll buy you some surf n’ turf.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&

She casually consumed a 14-ounce steak, 15 shrimp and crab cake appetizers, much to Mulder’s surprised delight, “room for dessert?” He could see her internal debate and grinned at her while she hemmed and hawed. Finally, he broke the stalemate her brain was in with her stomach, “how about we get something to go and eat it later back at the room?”

“Okay.” She then proceeded to rattle of cheesecake, cobbler, and a piece of peach pie to go to the amused waiter who had been standing next to Mulder through that entire process. Once he’d went to wrap up the food, Scully looked at her partner, “the pie is for you.”

Chuckling, “wait. Is the rest all for you? Do I even get a little bit?”

Pulling out that playfully secret smile that lit up her face like no other, “maybe a bite … if you’re nice to me.”

And then she winked at him.

And his mouth dropped open for the smallest second.

And his heart jumped in his chest.

And he felt her shoe rub against his under the table.

And then she burst out laughing, “breathe, Mulder. A bite of cheesecake, not of me.”

And the world lined back up and planets revolved again and he realized he needed oxygen, “for one second there, Scully …”

Both let that sentence run off into oblivion as the waiter re-appeared, check and takeout boxes in hand. Scully grabbed for the paper, smoothly handing her credit card to the man before Mulder could do that thing he always did about insisting on paying for meals and arguing that she would get the next one then not letting her get the next one either.

Sticking her tongue out as he opened his mouth to protest, “you paid for the room, I’ll pay for your side of beef.”

Mulder found her foot under the table with his, this time his shoe nudging her sandal, “fair enough.”

&&&&&&&

Once back for the night, Scully kicked her shoes to the corner, shed the light shirt she was wearing, leaving her in her camisole and skirt. Heading straight for the balcony, she beckoned Mulder after her with a simple wave of her hand, a forward motioning that seemed to pull him to her, not remembering having ever moved his feet but suddenly beside her, closing the door behind him. It was dark out, the city lights behind the hotel, giving them the darkness Scully wanted. She pulled Mulder to the chair, “sit please.”

He sat.

Wondering.

Then she sat in front of him, scooting herself between his knees, leaning back on his chest, invading his space, sailing through uncharted yet not unwelcome territory. His arms went around her automatically, forearms pushing against her breasts, hands clasped loosely on her stomach.

Whispering up at him, it was the last thing he expected to hear, given her flirty ways at the restaurant, “if we hear bad news tomorrow, I don’t want to go back home. I want to go to Baja and then go see everything before even thinking about heading back to DC.”

The warm feeling of her against him diminished as real-life nonsense invaded, “I thought we already decided that?”

“We decided to go to Baja but I mean, after that, I don’t want to go home. I want to just keep driving, as long as we can, see all that we can and only go home when I don’t have a choice anymore.”

He wasn’t really sure he was digesting this conversation properly, “you mean, quit and just go?”

“Not quit, because I’ll need the insurance but take an extended leave or something. I’ve got money saved and if we go cheap, we can do a lot.”

“And you’re inviting me along on this adventure?”

Shifting her hands so they covered his, she squeezed them, “I wouldn’t want to do it without you.”

“I wouldn’t want you to.” Kissing the top of her head, he spoke into her hair, “I love you, Scully.”

The catch in her inhale told him everything he needed to know but hearing her next words made him close his eyes, savor the words, “I love you, too, Mulder.”


End file.
